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Arnott, Walton, Leal win 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize

a composite image of three book covers: I am Nannertgarrook, Dusk, and The Year We Escaped Thursday, 16 October 2025
Robbie Arnott and Tasma Walton will share the $100,000 ARA Historical Novel Prize in the adult category for their works Dusk (Picador) and I Am Nannertgarrook (Bundyi) respectively, while Suzanne Leal has...

Ventura Press acquires Fitzsimmons’s debut crime novel

An image of Whitney Fitzsimmons. Thursday, 16 October 2025
Ventura Press has acquired world rights to The Rising, a gripping police procedural crime novel by journalist Whitney Fitzsimmons. The Rising follows journalist Bec Carter, who finds the bones of...

2025 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers shortlist

Logo for the Richell Prize, featuring a swooping bird Thursday, 16 October 2025
Hachette Australia and the Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) have announced the shortlist for the 2025 Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. Chosen from the longlist announced last month, the 5 shortlisted writers...

Jenner wins 2025 Kathleen Grattan Poetry Award

a portrait of Lynn Jenner, an older woman wearing a green cardigan Thursday, 16 October 2025
In Aotearoa New Zealand, Lynn Jenner has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Kathleen Grattan Poetry Award for her manuscript The Gum Trees of Kerikeri. The collection is...

Prichard wins 2025 Landfall Tauraka Essay Prize

An image of Tasmin Prichard. Thursday, 16 October 2025
In Aotearoa New Zealand, literary journal Landfall Tauraka has announced Tasmin Prichard as the winner of this year’s Landfall Tauraka Essay Prize for their essay “Four Hours in the Dark,...

A&U acquires Legge’s memoir

An image of Kate Legge. She sits at a table with her head leaning on her fist. Thursday, 16 October 2025
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired world English rights to Delicious, a memoir “celebrating food and friendship” by author and journalist Kate Legge. According to the publisher, Delicious: Stories of Cooking, Love...

Murray awarded 2025 ASA Medal

a portrait of Kirsty Murray. She has long curly blonde hair and is wearing a black top. Wednesday, 15 October 2025
The Australian Society of Authors (ASA) has announced Kirsty Murray is the recipient of the 2025 ASA Medal. The ASA board noted Murray’s contribution to young people’s literature, including “her...

O’Malley wins 2025 CLNZ/NZSA Writers’ Award

a portrait of Vincent O'Malley. He is bald and wears glasses. Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Vincent O’Malley has won the 2025 Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) and the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) Writers’ Award, worth...

Rights round-up 

Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Sales Fiction Penguin Random House has sold French rights to Sonatine and German rights to Ullstein to Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief (Benjamin Stevenson); Czech rights to The...

‘17 Years Later’ to be adapted for TV 

the book cover of 17 years later, featuring an image of a large house behind tall gates Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Bruna Papandera and Made Up Stories have acquired television rights to JP Pomare’s novel 17 Years Later (Hachette, 2024). The adaptation will be directed and executive-produced by John Polson (Elementary),...

Transit Lounge acquires Hawthorn’s next novel

An image of Sarah Hawthorn. Sarah stands in front of a fence and greenery. Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Transit Lounge has acquired world rights to High Land, a novel by Sarah Hawthorn, via Sally Bird at Calidris Literary Agency. According to the publisher, High Land follows Annie, who...

Scribe acquires Woollett nonfiction debut

a portrait of Laura Elizabeth Wollett. She has long black hair and red lipstick Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Scribe has acquired world rights to Hell Days, Laura Elizabeth Woollett’s nonfiction debut. Blending memoir, true crime, medical research, interviews, and cultural analysis, Hell Days investigates premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a hormonal...

Read the latest Publishers Weekly 

Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Books+Publishing is partnering with US trade news magazine Publishers Weekly to provide our subscribers with exclusive access to the weekly digital edition of PW magazine. View the edition here.

Riveted Press acquires Hargreaves’s middle-grade fantasy trilogy

A portrait of Cody Hargreaves. Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Riveted Press has acquired world rights to middle-grade fantasy trilogy The Sterling Brothers by debut author Cody Hargreaves. The first instalment, The Ostrich Dilemma, features estranged twin brothers who must overcome their lifelong...

PRH acquires Timms’s debut crime novel

A portrait of Nicolas Timms standing in front of a brick wall. Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has acquired ANZ rights to The Lineup, a crime fiction debut by Nicholas Timms. PRH commercial fiction publisher Beverley Cousins acquired the novel via Daniel...

Bragg science writing prize shortlist announced

Tuesday, 14 October 2025
The shortlist for this year’s UNSW Press Bragg Prize for Science Writing has been announced. Shortlisted pieces are: “The Unexpected Poetry of PhD Acknowledgements” by Tabitha Carvan “The Night I...

Barnes wins inaugural Bundyi Writing Prize

An image of Shannon Barnes. Monday, 13 October 2025
Bundyi Publishing has announced Shannon Barnes as the winner of the inaugural Bundyi Writing Prize for her mixed-genre novel Strangelands. Barnes wins a $10,000 cash prize, manuscript development, and a...

Affirm acquires Lewis’s debut nonfiction

A portrait of Bron Lewis. She is a red-haired woman wearing a green sequined dress Monday, 13 October 2025
Affirm Press has acquired world rights to I’m Not Mad (Anymore), a debut piece of nonfiction from Bron Lewis, in a deal brokered by Bec Sutherland of Jubilee St Management....

Melbourne Books acquires Buckrich history

A portrait of Judith Buckrich. She is a blonde woman with pale skin and glasses Monday, 13 October 2025
Melbourne Books has acquired world rights to Fitzroy North: People, Place, Protest by Judith Buckrich. “[Beginning with] the local Aboriginal communities prior to European colonisation, Fitzroy North: People, Place and Protest reveals...